National Poetry Month 2020
Though COCC campuses are closed through Spring term, you can celebrate National Poetry Month at home!
COCC Reads: Poems of Connection and Hope
For the "Poems of Connection and Hope" project, COCC faculty and staff read uplifting poems and song lyrics on video.
Watch the whole playlist on YouTube »
Book Title Poetry by COCC Librarians
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Book title poem by Cat Finney -
Book title poem by Tina Hovekamp -
Book title poem by Kirsten Hostetler -
Book title poem by Pat Givens
COCC Poetry Classes
Environmental Poetry: Writing Poems From and Into the Pandemic
This Continuing Education class taught by Irene Cooper will meet online May 30 and June 6, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Registration costs $39.
Pandemic Poetry
Kim Stafford Pandemic Poems
Oregon Poet Laureate Kim Stafford writes daily poems during the pandemic. Under "Creative Work," you can find poems set to music, recorded readings, interviews, and more.
Shelter in Poems
Contributors share poems that help them find courage, solace, and actionable energy in these difficult times.
Online Events
Poem at Home
On Friday evenings, join fun Zoom performances of Broadway, film and television actors reading the works of contemporary poets.
Sierra Poetry Festival
This free online festival will take place Saturday, April 18th, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sierra Poetry Festival marks National Poetry Month from the rolling foothills of California’s Gold Country to the rugged High Sierra, bringing our rich literary community together to celebrate the spoken word and reach out to brand new audiences in fresh ways.
Wednesday Night Poetry Virtual Open Mic
Enjoy poetry through the pandemic with these open mic events hosted by Kai Coggin. Wednesday Night Poetry is physically held each week at Kollective Coffee+Tea in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, but is now held virtually for poets all over the world!
Recorded Videos and Audio
Poetry Audio Recordings: A Guide to Online Resources
This Library of Congress guide links to audio recordings of poets reading their works.
Visible Poetry Project
The Visible Poetry Project is releasing one short, poem-inspired film for each day in April.
Contests
Spring Gorge Haiku Contest
In celebration of National Poetry Month and International Haiku Poetry Day on April 17, Friends of the Columbia Gorge is launching a Spring Gorge Haiku Challenge. While we all refrain from connecting to the Gorge physically, for the greater good, we can still stay connected virtually and celebrate the Gorge’s wonders from home by writing three simple but meaningful lines of verse.
Other Ideas
30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month
Creative suggestions for celebrating poetry.
National Poetry Month Celebrations Go Online
A New York Times article with suggestsions for Zoom open mics, classes and workshops, and more.
Don't have an NYT account to view the article? Current students, staff, and faculty can register for free!